


Uninvited Guests

by StillNotGinger10



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Agender Character, ColdFlash Week 2018, M/M, SCIFI AU, agender barry, alien barry, coldflashweeks2018, smuggler len, space travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 09:04:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14352315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StillNotGinger10/pseuds/StillNotGinger10
Summary: “I don't mind a guest,” Len offered. How could he complain about an uninvited guest on the ship when he was one himself? Barry’s kind weren’t harmful. They just liked to study the universe and the species that lived there, and Len had never minded being the center of attention.





	Uninvited Guests

**Author's Note:**

> Pictures and a one-shot for coldflash week!
> 
> This is for the Scifi AU prompt. A little story about how smuggler Len meets Barry, who is part of an alien species that exists only as energy. They don’t have a body of their own, so they possess manmade objects in the universe to interact with other species.

 

__

_This’ll do_ , Len thinks as he looks around his new ship.

Or, at least, it’ll be his new ship once he disables tracking and flies it off the space station.

The ship is big, bigger than his usual getaway vehicle, but something about it had called to Len as he looked around the docking bay for the right space ship to steal. Call it a feeling or a hunch, call it an appreciation for the aesthetics of older models, or call it revenge for the owner, Rip Hunter, convincing security that Len’s ship needed to be searched while he was busy taking care of business on the space station.

Len’s deal with the Santinis had gone well, so it was time to go. Before they realized the goods Len had sold them were fake. But with Len’s ship being otherwise occupied by nosy officials, and possibly impounded later if they managed to find one of its many hidden cargo holds, Len was left looking for other methods of transportation. Rip’s ship only had two security measures to bypass; it was practically begging to be taken.

Finding the bridge was easy. The room was large and held a number of chairs as if Rip ever actually had traveling companions. The controls were simple, especially for someone with Len’s level of experience, and before long he had tracking disabled, communications running on undetectable frequencies, and the ship in the air.

The vessel practically ran itself once it was out in open space, so Len was able to sit back and relax once he’d programed it to fly to his meeting place with Mick. Stretching his arms out before curling them behind his head, Len looked around at his newest acquisition. It was old, yes, but it was in good shape. It was large and probably had plenty of room for hiding future cargo that needed smuggling from one place to another. All in all, it was a good find. How nice of Rip to give him the chance to upgrade.

“Hmm, what to call you,” Len wondered aloud.

A crackling sound came over the speakers as if the ship’s intercommunication system had been activated, making Len drop his arms and sit up straight. Had he heard wrong? Was Rip traveling with someone?

“Captain Hunter called this vessel The Waverider,” came a hesitant voice over the speakers.

Len jumped up and looked around, but just as before, he saw no one.

“Who are you?” he growled. “Where are you?”

“I’m in the ship,” the voice came quicker this time.

“ _Where_  in the ship?” Len asked, voice low and angry, as he reached for the cold gun holstered to his leg.

“Everywhere,” said the voice. “It’s— It’s hard to explain. Maybe it’s better to say that I  _am_ the ship.”

“An A.I.?” Len asked, still tense.

“Not  _exactly_ ,” the voice said, confusing Len. He was starting to get angry now. How could it be this complicated for someone to explain who and where they were? “Have you heard of the Metas?”

Len relaxed at the word, letting go of his gun. He’d heard of Metas before, but he’d never met one. They were rare to encounter, possibly more because they stayed hidden to avoid humans than because there were few of them. They were a species that existed without a physical body. They inhabited computer systems and who knew what else. Len had once wondered if they could possess any object, but only machines that moved and made noise allowed them to communicate. Many people feared having Metas in their computers, but from what Len had heard, the only damage that ever happened to the machines came from the humans trying to eradicate the intruder. The Metas were a peaceful people who only wanted to watch and explore.

“Never met one,” Len said. It made sense if that’s what the voice was. It explained how someone could be everywhere, how they could be the ship. “You got a name, Meta?” Len knew they didn’t have a gender or appearance, but maybe they had a preference for what to be called.

There was pause, before the voice said, quiet and hesitant again, “I was called Barry once. I liked that name.”

“Barry it is,” Len said easily as he sat down again.

“You’re taking this very well,” Barry said, sounding as if he wasn’t sure if he should bring it up.

“Rip didn't take it so well?” Len smirked at the thought. Rip was controlling and didn’t trust anyone—it’s why he never worked with a crew—so Len wasn’t surprised he didn't like having an uninvited guest on his ship.

“No, he wanted me removed,” Barry said, sounding sad. “He was meeting with someone about it on the station.”

“That’s why you didn't say anything until we were off the station,” Len said. He’d wondered why Barry had waited so long to make himself known, but if he wanted to get away from Rip, then it made sense.

Only silence answered Len, which was answer enough.

“I don't mind a guest,” Len offered. How could he complain about an uninvited guest on the ship when he was one himself? Barry’s kind weren’t harmful. They just liked to study the universe and the species that lived there, and Len had never minded being the center of attention.

“You don’t?” Barry asked, sounding hopeful this time.

“Nope,” Len said, popping the ‘P’. “Wouldn’t mind some company while I’m on my travels. My crew and I tend to split up a lot.” He looked around at the ship, considering. “What do you say, Barry, want to stick around?”

“Just you and me?”

“Just us.”

“It’s a deal,” Barry said, and Len would swear he could hear a smile in the voice.

**Author's Note:**

> Right now, this story is just this snippet, but I may pick it up again when I have more time. I want to write about Barry and Len’s adventure together! But for now, you can imagine where they go from here.


End file.
